Register rail for double printing



Aug- 31, 1943- C. A. MAwlcKE x-:T AL 2,328,480

REGISTER RAIL FORKDOUBLE PRINTING Filed March 9, 1942 4 sheets-sheet 1 QQ Nl QQ I l2 :E I .'-Am n :E :I l N I :l i

Aug. 31, 1943.

c. A. MAwlcKE ET A1. 2,328,480

REGISTER RAIL FOR DOUBLE PRINTING Filed March 9, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 NQ i L@ q? Q\ Q m Q l l` m k N n i N s l Q G5 /f' QL* N l N "P L' f Q fA.1"` z i Sw" 1 Q s Q @i s m l E s;

l fa z I l l X HWENTOP m Q "I6 @man @jQ/QB D Harold Z/ MASQ/4' Aug. 31,1943. c. A. MAwlcKE ET AL 2,328,480

REGISTER RAIL FOR DOUBLE PRINTING Filed March 9, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 5uhrlnlmh. Im! @mmh Juul. yp.. nlml- .Imm I Il Il' Q If NE" i5 INVENTQR.

Aug- 31, 1943 c. A. MAwlcKE E-rAL 2,328,480

REGISTER RAIL FOR DOUBLE PRINTING Fi'led March 9, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4INVENTQRS.

@Jima/5%@ Patented Aug. 31, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REGISTERRAIL FOR DOUBLE PRINTING Clement Aa Mawicke, Wilmctte, and Harold W.Olsen, Chicago, Ill.; said Olsen assignor to said Mawicke 9 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of multi or double printing and itspurpose is to provide improved apparatus that not only maintains apredetermined relation between a number of negative plates during theirmake-up operations but assures reproducing the identical positioning ofthese plates upon the surface of a sensitized metal plate on which theimages carried by these negative plates are to be photographicallyreproduced during successive exposures thereof, the invention beingdirected to accomplishing the result herein disclosed automatically sotospeak and thereby eliminate the judgment of the operator "1 determiningsuch positioning or registration.

The invention, while described and illustrated in connection withmultiple or double printing in photoengraving, is not necessarilylimited to such use solely but may be used wherever the apparatus ndssuitable application, whether it be in y multiple or double printing orelsewhere in the photographic art.

In the art of double printing in photoengraving, the Various negativeimages are first gathered by the stripping operator and are laid uponglass plates in predetermined positions according to a given layout. Itthe case of combined half tones and line images, as would be found inillustrative advertisements, the stripping operator first strips thehalf tone images and lays them upon a glass plate. ranged upon a secondglass plate placed over the glass plate upon which the half tone imageshave been arranged. In this work, the operator is required to follow apredetermined pattern provided by the copy and place the line images inpredetermined positions upon the second glass plate. During thisoperation the glass plates must be maintained in proper registration sothat proper positioning and aligning of the images upon both plates willbe maintained. Following the preparation of these plates, the firstnegative-plate is exposed to a sensitized metal plate. The second orsubsequent glass plates are thereafter exposed to the sensitized metalplate which may be slightly developed and resensitized after eachexposure if so desired. The exposures are made in the proper sequencebut it is important that the several negative plates of the series,which are employed to reproduce the several images or part images, belocated upon the sensitized metal plate in the identical positions theyhad during the make-up operations so that the several images mayregister properly with each other in the completed work. In registeringa negative plate, register marks upon the plates were heretofore Theline images are then stripped and arused in actual practice althoughvarious types of register frames have been suggested. These registerframes likewise required the use of register marks upon the negativePlates and the operator was also required to obtain registration by eyeobservation solely by aligning these marks one over another. Extremecare had to be exercised by the operator to secure perfect registration.Whether perfect registration would be obtained was only known after anumber of exposures and prints were made.

One of the important objects of the invention is to provide a simple andefficient form of registering means that assures identical positioningof a number of negative plates of a series upon a sensitized surface ormetal plate as they are exposed thereto in proper sequence so that theimages thereby photographically reproduced upon this metal plate willhave the same position as they had when stripped and laid upon thevarious superimposed negative plates during the make-up operation.

One embodiment of the invention may take the form of a pair of registerrails provided with predetermined points of engagement against which theglass plates are held. One of the rails is designed to receive thenegative plates during the stripping and the laying of the images uponthese negative plates during make-up operations. The other rail isdesigned to receive a sensitized metal plate and each of the negativeplates in their predetermined sequence of exposure. Registration marksor lines are not required. The operator is merely required to placethese negative plates against the points of engagement provided upon therails which, when done, will automatically eiect reproducing theidentical position of the negative plates upon the sensitized metalplate which they had when superimposed upon each other during thestripping and make-up operations.

A further advantage in the use of the invention resides in the fact thatthe novel feature of photographically reproducing the images of thenegative plates during their successive exposures to a sensitizedsurface in the same relation as they had during their make-up operationsis not dependent upon the negative plates being regular at the cornersor along the edges, The negative plates may be irregular and the edgesjagged and yet the advantages of the invention will be obtained withoutrequiring register marks or lines of registration by eye observation ofthe operator. A considerable saving and perfect registration are therebyassured without experiencing the difculties that would otherwise resultif the plates were not true or the edges were slightly chipped.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing detail description when taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows the first negative glass plate in its position during itsmake-up operation, negative images being stripped from their backing andthen turned over and laid upon this negative glass plate according to apredetermined layout obtained from suitable copy, photographs, drawings,illustrations or type proofs;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and in thedirection of the arrows:

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing additionally a secondnegative plate superimposed upon the first negative plate during themake-up operations and illustrating how the first of the register railsadapted for use in practicing the invention not only provides butmaintains quick and easy registration of these negative plates in apredetermined relation while the second negative plate receives itsnegative images according to the aforesaid predetermined layout;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3 and in thedirection of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a view showing how the second of said register rails holds thesensitized surface in a predetermined position with respect to the firstnegative` plate during the time it is exposed thereto;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken along line I-G of Fig. 5 and in thedirection of the arrows;

Fig. 7 is a view of the sensitized surface after the rst exposure torepresent that it may be partially developed and resensitized if desiredbefore the second exposure;

Fig. 8 is a view showing by means of the second register rail how thesecond negative plate is positioned with respect to the sensitizedsurface and during its exposure thereto, this second negative platebeing in the same relation to the first negative plate as it was at thetime it was superimposed and held in a. predetermined position thereonby the first register rail as shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is a transverse section taken along line 9-9 in Fig. 8 and in thedirection of the arrows;

Fig. l0 illustrates the sensitized surface after both exposures to showthat the images of both plates have been photographically reproduced inthe same relation as they had when both plates were in the positionshown in Fig. 3 and after their make-up operations had been completed;

Fig. 1l is a perspective view of the first register rail; and

Fig. 12 is a similar view of the second register rail.

In the accompanying drawings, a pair of register rails is designatedbroadly as A and B. These rails may be made of any suitable material,such as metal, wood, cardboard, thermoplastic material, etc., and of athickness and length necessary to accomplish their purpose.

Register rail A is provided with a leg 2 and a head portion 3. Twosurfaces 4 and 5 of a predetermined angularity with respect to eachother, preferably however that of right angles or 90 degrees, areprovided at the juncture of leg 2 and head 3. A contact point 6 isprovided on leg 2. This contact point 6 is in the form of an extensionfrom leg 2, and its face or abutable surface or point is in alignmentwith surface 4. The

location of surfaces 4 and 5 and contact point on the register rail Aneed not be that shown. It is desirable however that the abuttable orouter surface of contact point 8 bear a predetermined relation to thesurfaces 4 and 5 as will be later apparent.

Register rail B is similarly provided with a leg 1 and a head portion B.Two surfaces 8 and Il are also provided at the juncture of leg 1 andhead 8. These surfaces 8 and I0 are of the same angularity with respectto each other. as are surfaces 4 and 5. A contact point Il is similarlyprovided on leg 1. It is also in the form of an extension from leg 1,its face or abuttable surface or point being in alignment with surfacel0. It is desirable that surfaces 8 and I l and contact point il bearthe same relation to each other as surfaces 4 and 5 bear to contactpoint 8. It is also desirable that these surfaces 9 and I0 and contactpoint l I are similarly located and proportioned as the surfaces 4 and 5and contact point B. In other words, these parts on one rail should becomplementary to the same parts on the other rail.

'I'he second register rail B is also provided with a substantially flatmember I2 of the same or different material as rail B and preferably ofa thickness equal to the thickness of the metal plate carrying thesensitized surface to which the negative plates are exposed. Member I!is secured to the underside of rail B in any desirable way. It alsoincludes a leg I4 and a head portion I5. These parts act as a square orstop for the sensitized metal plate. They provide right angle edges i6and i1 against which this sensitized metal plate abuts and against whichthe same is held in a relatively fixed relation during the time thenegative glass plates are exposed thereto.

The method of effecting a predetermined registering relation during themake-up operations of the negative glass plates so that when theseplates are in reversed position, they are exposed to a sensitized metalplate and the images upon the plates are photographically reproduced inthe same relation as when stripped and flopped over upon these platesduring the make-up operations according to a predetermined layoutobtained from suitable copy, photographs, drawings, illustrations ortype proofs, and the manner in which register rails A and B are used inconnection therewith will be noted in Figs. 1 to 10, inclusive. In thisregard, a glass plate 20 is placed with corner 2l thereof placed againstsurfaces 4 and l of register rail A. Glass plate 20 need not have itsedges necessarily straight or its corner 2| exactly true. It is onlynecessary that edge 22 makes contact with surface 5, and edge 23 makescontact with surface 4. The lower part of edge 2l is then brought intoabutting relation with contact point 6, thus providing ,in eifect athree point contact with register rail A at points 4, 5, and l. Plate 20will rest in this position or relation until the operator has completedhis make-up operations with respect thereto, which includes, aspreviously mentioned, stripping negative images, such as those indicatedat 25, and positioning them upon plate 20 according to a predetermineddesign or layout.

After this step in the operation is completed, a second glass plate 26is placed over or superimposed upon plate 20, as shown inFig. 3.Negative images 21, whatever they may be, are stripped from theirbackings and flopped over and laid upon glass plate 26 with respect toimages 25, so as to follow said predetermined design or layout. In thecase of photo engraving, images 21 may be reading matter that has beenphotographed for use with photographic illustrations exemplified byimages 21. It will be understood that variations as to the character ofthe work to be performed are contemplated and that the invention doesnot pertain to the images to be used. While the images 21 are laid uponplate 26, the latter is held with its corner 28 against surfaces 4 and 5of register rail A. Edge 29 of plate 26 abuts against surface 5 and edge30 abuts against surface 4. The lower part of edge 30 is brought againstcontact point 6. Hence, plate 26 is held in the same relation againstthe abutting surfaces or points of register rail A as the plate 20duri-ng their make-up operations, the plate 26 during its make-upoperation being held or positioned upon plate 20 after the latter iscompleted.

To illustrate that these plates need not be true with respect to shapeor corner, regularity, and that the invention novelly allows the use ofplates of irregular cuttings or shapes, plate 26 has been purposelyshown exceptionally irregular to demonstrate how such irregularity doesnot affect the pr-acticing of the invention. This is an advantagebecause any irregularity or chipping will not prevent use of the glassplate in this process, nor will corner irregularity, which is apt tooccur, affect the exceptional accuracy of registration.

To reproduce the same relation between the images 25 and 21 duringsuccessive exposures of each glass plate 20 and 26 to a sensitizedsurface 3| that may, for example, be carried by a metal plate 32, thesecond register rail B first receives this sensitized plate 32 in themanner shown in Fig. 5. It is brought against edge I6 of leg |4 andagainst edge |1 of head I5 of member I2, it being desirable but notessential that its corner 33 be of the same angularity as that whichexists between edges I6 and I1, so that this corner 33 will be firmlyheld against these edges. Plate 20 is then reversed so that its images25 will face the sensitized surface 3| and its corner 2| will bepositioned against the angularly related surfaces 9 and I!) on rail B.Edge 22 will abut against surface 9 and edge 23 will abut againstsurface I0, while the lower part of edge 23 will engage contact pointII. In this position, plate 20 will be in the very same relation withrespect to these parts of rail B as it was with respect to correspondingparts of rail A. The plate is reversed as to position to place thesurface carrying the images 25 face down and then these images areplaced directly opposite sensitized surface 3|. An exposure is then madeto photographically reproduce images 25 upon a sensitized surface 3| asimages 25'. As show-n in Fig. 7, this surface 3| may then be partiallydeveloped and resensitized, if so desired, though this is not necessary.

Thereafter, the next negative glass plate to be exposed to sensitizedsurface 3| to make up the composite in accordance with a predeterminedlayout may be plate 26. Metal plate 32 is replaced in its positionagainst edges I6 and |1 of member I2 on rail B. Glass plate 26 is thenreversed or turned about so its corner 28 will fit against surfaces 9and I0, the edge 29 being brought against surface 9 and the edge 30being brought against surface I0. The lower edge will abut point II onrail B and the images 21 will be face down against sensitized surface3|. An exposure is then made to photographically reproduce images 21 asimages 21' upon this surface 3 I this being shown in Fig. 10.

The relation that images 21 will bear to images 25 will be exactly asshown in Fig. 3 during the make-up operation of the glass plate 2'6 inits superimposed positioning over plate 20 when the operator is placingimages 21 upon this second plate 26 in a manner to carry out apredetermined design or layout with reference to images 25 on plate 20.The reproduction of this relation by the structure (rails A and B) andthe steps herein described are extremely accurate. The use ofregistration marks, corner marks or lines upon the negative glass platesis eliminated, and hence, it is not necessary to rely upon the accuracyof the operator in effecting registration by eye observation. Thenecessity of waiting until all exposures to metal plate 32 and a printthereof is m-ade before it is known whether accurate registration hasbeen obtained is eliminated. Not only are material and labor saved butalso time in carrying out a job.

It will be noted, therefore, that the registering relation during themake-up operations and its reproduction during the successive exposuresof the negative glass pl-ates to the sensitized surface is in one senseof the term automatic. The same relation of the images when reproducedphotographically on the sensitized surface must be the same as long asthe negative glass plates are brought into abutting relation with thesurf-aces or points designated as 4, 5 and 6 in connection with the useof rail A, and designated as 9, I0 and II in connection with the use ofrail B. It will be observed that the disclosure is not to be limited toany given number of negative glass plates, because any number ofexposures might be made upon sensitized surface 3|. Nor is the ,exactconstruction of rails A and B, either as separate parts or as elongatedmembers, important as long as the abutting surfaces or points areprovided.

The construction of register rails A and B and their use are extremelysimple. The reproduction photographically of the registration relationbetween negative plates during the make-up operation is accurate andassured. Errors are eliminated and the Work may be performed in minimumtime.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain thegist of our invention that others may, by applying current knowledge,readily adopt the same for use under varying conditions of service,without eliminating certain features, which may properly be said toconstitute the essential items of novelty involved, which items areintended to be defined and secured to us by the following claims.

We claim:

1. The method of effecting a predetermined registering relation of aseries of photographic negative plates during make-up operations andreproducing the same relation during successive exposures of eachnegative plate to a sensitized surface which comprises placingcorresponding corners of the negative plates while in superimposedrelation during make-up operations against adjoining surfaces ofpredetermined angularity, abutting corresponding edges of these negativeplates against a contact point disposed in aligning relation to one ofsaid adjoining surfaces, then reversing the negative plates forsuccessive exposures to a sensitized surface to photographicallyreproduce during said successive exposures the images of said plates inthe same relation as they had with respect to each other while insuperimposed relation which includes placing the same correspondingcorners of each plate against a second set of adjoining surfaces havingthe same predetermined angularity as the first mentioned adjoiningsurfaces, and abutting the same corresponding edges of said platesagainst a second contact point also in the same aligning relation to oneof said second set of adjoining surfaces as said first contact pointwith respect to the corresponding surface of said first set of adjoiningsurfaces.

2. The method of effecting a predetermined registering relation of aseries of photographic negative plates during make-up operations andreproducing the same relation during successive exposures of eachnegative plate to a sensitized surface which comprises placing a cornerof each negative plate against two right angular surfaces so that eachnegative plate has at least one point of contact at its corner with eachof the two right angular surfaces, then abutting an edge of each platecoextending from its said corner with a contact point in aligningrelation with one of said right angular surfaces eecting suchpositioning of said plates in superimposed relation during make-upoperations, thereafter reversing said plates for successive exposures toa sensitized surface to photographically reproduce during saidsuccessive exposures the images of said plates in their same relation asthey had with respect to each other while the plates were insuperimposed relation which includes placing the same said corners ofsaid plates against a second of two right angular surfaces that are of acomplementary relation with respect to said rst two right angularsurfaces so that each negative plate will have substantially the samepoints of contact in engagement therewith, and then abutting the saidcoextending edges against a contact point also similarly in alignmentwith one of said second two right angular surfaces.

3. The method of effecting a predetermined registering relation betweena series of negative plates and thereafter reproducing the same relationduring exposure to a sensitized surface which comprises placingcorresponding corners of the negative plates while in superimposedrelation against adjoining surfaces of predetermined angularity,abutting corresponding edges of these negative plates against a contactpoint disposed in aligning relation to one of said adjoining surfaces,then reversing the negative plates and placing the same correspondingcorners of each plate against a second set of adjoining surfaces havingthe same predetermined angularity as the first mentioned adjoiningsurfaces, thereafter placing the same corresponding edges of said platesagainst a second contact point also in the same aligning relationto anadjoining surface corresponding to the adjoining surface in aligningrelation to the first point, and exposing each of said negative platesas positioned to a sensitized surface.

4. The method of effecting a predetermined registering relation of aseries of photographic plates and subsequently reproducing the samerelation while the plates are in a reversed position which comprisesplacing corresponding corners of the plates against adjoining surfacesof predetermined angularity, abutting corresponding edges of theseplates against a contact point disposed in aligning relation to one ofsaid adjoining surfaces, then reversing the plates which includesplacing the same corresponding corners of each plate against a secondset of adjoining surfaces having the same predetermined angularity asthe first mentioned adjoining surfaces, and abutting the samecorresponding edges of said plates against a second contact point alsoin the same aligning relation to one of the second set of adjoiningsurfaces as said rst contact point with respect to the correspondingsurface of said first set of adjoining surfaces.

5. Structure of the type described comprising in combination a pair ofregister rails, each having two adjoining surfaces of predeterminedangularity and a spaced point of abutment in the same plane as one ofsaid surfaces. the surfaces and the point of abutment on each rail beingcomplementary to the surfaces and the point of abutment on the otherrail whereby the same registration relation between a plurality ofphotographic plates in abutment with said three points of contact on onerail will be reproduced when said plates are reversed and caused to abutthe said three' points of contact on the other rail.

6. Structure of the type described comprising in combination a pair ofregister rails. each having two adjoining surfaces of predeterminedangularity and a spaced point of abutment in the same plane as one ofsaid surfaces, the surfaces and the point of abutment on each rail being'complementary to the surfaces and the point of abutment on the otherrail whereby the same registration relation between a plurality ofphotographic plates in abutment with said three points of contact on onerail will be reproduced when said plates are reversed and caused to abutthe said three points of contact on the other rail, and a member havingtwo receiving edges arranged in a predetermined angular relation, saidmember being attached to one of said rails with said receiving edges inproximity to said angular surfaces and abutting point on said rail.

7. Structure of the type described comprising in combination a pair ofelongated register rails, each having two right angular adjoiningsurfaces and a spaced point of abutment, said surfaces and said point ofabutment on each rail forming a three point contact for a photographicplate, said surfaces and the point of abutment on each rail beingcomplementary to the surfaces and the point of abutment on the otherrail whereby the same registration relation between a plurality ofphotographic plates in abutment with said three points of contact on onerail will be reproduced when said plates are reversed and caused to abutthe saidthree points of contact on the other rail.

8. Structure of the type described comprising in combination a pair ofelongated register rails, each having two right angular adjoiningsurfaces and a spaced point of abutment, said surfaces and said point ofabutment'on each rail forming a three point contact for a photographicplate, said surfaces and the point of abutment on each rail beingcomplementary to the surfaces and the point of abutment on the otherrail whereby the same registration relation between a plurality ofphotographic plates in abutment with said three points of contact on onerail will be reproduced when said plates are reversed and caused to abutthe said three points of contact on the other rail, and a member on saidother rail for maintaining a sensitized surface in a given positionwhile said photographic plates are reversed and caused to abut the saidthree points of contact on said other rail.

means for holding a plate having a sensitized surface thereon in a givenposition for exposure of said photographic plates thereto when saidplates are caused to abut said other rail in said predeterminedrelation.

CLEMENT A. MAWICKE. HAROLD W. OLSEN.

